Author: GPS World Staff

EU project to seek TREASURE in multi-GNSS positioning
A European Union (EU) project exploiting GNSS to establish the blueprint for the world’s most accurate real-time positioning service will be run at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom.

The service, to be developed at prototype level, will benefit safety-critical industries such as aviation and maritime navigation, as well as high-accuracy dependent applications such as offshore drilling and production operations, dredging, construction, agriculture, driverless cars and drones.

The four-year TREASURE project will take multi-GNSS to the next level. It will focus on a service that will improve on the current use of GNSS — usually based on just one or two systems — and integrate signals from GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo to provide accuracy of a few centimeters in real time, opening up a multitude of new possibilities.

The TREASURE project is funded through the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 framework program.

Atmospheric disruption

One of the key aspects of the research is to mitigate the effects of the atmosphere, in particular related to space weather, which can often create impairing conditions that vastly reduce satellite communication and positioning accuracy.

Controlled by the interaction of the sun with the Earth’s magnetic field, the ionosphere (the upper layer of Earth’s atmosphere) is characterized by the presence of free electrons, which interfere with a satellite’s signal passing through it.

Mainly, but not only when solar activity is high, electron density irregularities may form in the ionosphere, which can cause signal diffraction and lead to scintillation — a scattering of the satellite signal that makes it difficult for a GNSS receiver to lock onto the satellite and calculate its position.

This has a particularly disruptive effect on positioning technology especially at high latitude or equatorial regions, such as in Northern Europe or in Brazil, respectively.

Similarly, the troposphere, a lower layer of the atmosphere, also interferes with the signals. The presence of water vapor in this neutral part of the atmosphere can create an additional disruptive effect on the satellite signals, also affecting GNSS accuracy.

Correcting all intervening errors

The project aims to develop new error models, positioning algorithms and data assimilation techniques to monitor, predict and correct not only the effects of the atmosphere but also signal degradation due to manmade sources of interference, which can also limit positioning accuracy.

Signal processing techniques — tailored to the features of the interfering signals — will be used to improve the quality of the measurements and ultimately to generate reliable position solutions.

Moreover, TREASURE researchers will also develop new multi-GNSS real-time precise orbit and clock products, specifically for use with the new Galileo system.

Industry potential for multi-GNSS service

All these problems pose significant risks to the many public and industrial sectors that now rely on GNSS or aim to use it to overcome growing humanitarian challenges such as food or energy production.

“A highly-accurate multi-GNSS service could, for instance, assist demanding terrestrial applications like precision agriculture, giving farmers access to real-time precisely located data gathering and analysis to maximize food production, reduce costs and minimize pesticide use,” said project lead Marcio Aquino, Nottingham Geospatial Institute.

“On the other side of the spectrum, a deep-sea drilling platform that experiences any temporary degradation of positioning accuracy could lead to phenomenal losses right at a time when, due to the current oil production climate, companies are striving to increase operational efficiency,” Aquino said. “This industry would also benefit from such an accurate multi-GNSS service.”

The study will focus on two existing GNSS techniques known as PPP (precise point positioning) and NRTK (network real-time kinematic). Both use GPS and GLONASS, but could potentially meet future real-time high-accuracy positioning demands when Galileo is fully integrated, and if TREASURE is successful.

Benefits and limitations of PPP and NRTK

The NRTK technique uses fixed reference stations operating high-grade GNSS receivers at carefully surveyed reference locations to secure accurate GNSS positioning data.

The transmission of corrections from reference locations to users is at the core of NRTK. The technique’s effectiveness relies on the spatial correlation of errors between user and reference, which must be situated less than 20-30km apart – a short enough distance to allow potential signal errors to “cancel out.”

If atmospheric variations between reference and user are strong, a greater number of reference stations may be necessary, rendering the technique less cost-effective.

Contrary to NRTK, PPP does not rely on errors cancelling out between the user and a known reference station. The user operates their receiver independently of the existence of nearby stations with known coordinates.

This is achieved by incorporating external information in the solution, in the form of highly-precise satellite clocks and orbit products derived from global networks and available either for free or commercially.

However, the accurate prediction of the state of the atmosphere, also crucial for PPP, is not normally available from these global networks — overcoming this situation is one of the main objectives of TREASURE.

Creating a critical mass and testing market potential

TREASURE brings together four top universities, one research institute and four leading European companies to provide the research that will result in the ultimate high-accuracy EGNSS solution.

The project team will train and work alongside 13 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellows who will be earmarked as high-flying candidates for future employment in the burgeoning GNSS industry or as specialist researchers.

The Fellows will build a prototype tool to support the different PPP and NRTK needs and test what commercial interest there is to bring the future service to market.

TREASURE project partners are:
- University of Nottingham
- University of Bath
- Politecnico di Torino
- Technische Universiteit Delft
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia
- Fugro Intersite BV
- Geo++GmbH
- Noveltis SAS
- Deimos Engenharia SA
February 7, 2017
Emlid unveils field-ready RTK GNSS receiver

Emlid has introduced a ruggedized, battery-powered real-time kinematic (RTK) GNSS receiver. The Reach RS enables centimeter-accurate positioning for survey, mapping, agriculture and drones once again changing our perception of the equipment cost.

Photo: Emlid.

With an integrated high-performance dual-feed antenna mounted on a large ground-plane Reach RS is able to reliably track GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS and SBAS satellites.

Reach RS is packed with many connectivity options. Via built-in Wi-Fi it is able to access NTRIP corrections, stream data to the cloud and fetch software updates. In remote areas Reach RS units can communicate via integrated LoRa radios giving you a reliable correction link on distances up to 8 kilometers. Solution data can be accessed over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and RS232. Functionality is extendable even further using the USB OTG. With RTCM and RINEX support Reach RS is a seamless addition to your existing equipment.

Power-efficient processor runs RTK engine with up to 14Hz update rate and can operate as much as 30 hours on a single battery charge. Easy charging over USB will never let you to run out of battery on mission.

Reach RS comes with a ReachView web app that works on any device with a browser and does not require an internet connection. Easily configure settings, correction input and solution output. Record and download RINEX logs, view status, satellite signal strength, captured events and your location on a map. Two gigabytes of internal storage are available for raw data RINEX logs and solution tracks which can be easily accessed from the ReachView app.

With IP67 rating and rugged polycarbonate enclosure Reach RS is ready for outdoor work. The receiver weighs only 700 grams and is just 145 millimeters wide making it one of the smallest and lightest RTK units available.

For laying out GCPs, or other types of survey work two Reach RS units operate together, one in base and another in rover mode. Reach RS is also seamlessly compatible with already-available Reach module — compact and lightweight solution for drones with ability to integrate with autopilots for navigation and cameras for photo geotagging.

The Reach module by Emlid. Photo: Emlid.

Reach RS is available for pre-order for $699 on Emlid’s website, the receivers are now being manufactured and will be shipped in mid-March 2017. Each Reach RS comes with an adapter for the survey pole, a USB cable, an antenna and a carry case.

Emlid designs, manufactures and sells first truly affordable RTK GNSS Reach and Linux autopilot board Navio2. Reach RTK. receiver appeared due to incredibly successful crowdfunding campaign. By combining modern hardware with an open-source RTK engine Emlid opened high-accuracy GNSS for makers and entry-level surveyors by significant reduction of receiver cost. Reach also allowed commercial surveyors to drastically cut the bill on the equipment. Now company continues innovating at affordable RTK market and is focused on broadening the range of its products.

February 6, 2017
Spirent security experts predict greater risk to GNSS in 2017
Spirent Communications plc, provider of mobile network, application, services and device-test solutions, is warning of the increased likelihood of disruptions this year to a wide variety of civil and military applications relying on GNSS.

The prediction of greater risk from hacking and location spoofing attacks by criminal, state-sponsored, and other adversaries is part of Spirent’s annual security forecast for 2017. The forecast also highlights the continued risk of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks on Internet of things (IoT) devices and industries, including health care and automotive, that Spirent believes are the prime targets for security threats in the near future.

In 2016, Spirent’s predictions led off with a prescient warning about the increased risk of cyber espionage, which has since been borne out, most notably by news reports of suspected activities by the Russian government to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Also as predicted, in 2016 threats from ransomware, malicious insiders and compromised IoT devices increased, as did attacks on industrial control systems. For example, FBI sources reported on CNN that losses attributed to ransomware in the U.S. were set to exceed $1 billion by the end of 2016. That number is expected to grow in 2017.

In addition to an increased likelihood of GNSS interference, Spirent’s annual security forecast for 2017 predicts an expansion of risks from:
- More frequent DDoS attacks against IoT devices, as evidenced in the last quarter of 2016, when multiple major DDoS attacks surfaced worldwide. The most disruptive attack employed Mirai malware covertly installed on a large number of IoT devices. A number of high-profile websites such as Netflix, AirBnB, Twitter, GitHub and others were rendered inaccessible. Spirent believes that perpetrators will continue to innovate and find new methods for improving and broadening these type of attacks.
- Threats to IoT security, which are increasing as everything that is connected becomes a potential attack vector, including embedded devices, mobile devices, consumer electronics, connected medical devices, industrial control systems, smart home devices, and more.
- Threats to medical applications, networks, and devices in the health care industry, both the back-office systems on which these facilities run and the medical instruments that provide care to patients. A ransomware infection or data breach could adversely affect patient health and privacy.
- Threats to connected vehicles by malicious attackers, as a greater number of attack vectors are inadvertently created that enable remotely gaining control of critical operational components of the vehicle, including engine, steering, and braking functions in addition to other vehicle systems that communicate through the relatively insecure CAN bus infrastructure.
“With the greater drive towards use of autonomous vehicles, which rely heavily on precision GPS positioning and timing, threats posed by signal spoofing, jamming, time tinkering, and more could result in serious disruptions and worse,” said Sameer Dixit, senior director of security consulting at Spirent. “The transportation industry is taking this very seriously and already looking at various ways to protect against these threats. Because of this, we see momentum towards improving GNSS security in 2017.”

According to an article in Defense One, Timothy Bennett, a science-and-technology program manager at the Department of Homeland Security, has already reported the use of GPS spoofing and jamming equipment by Mexican drug cartels along the border to interfere with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency’s use of drones to patrol the area. Unlike the larger drones designed to military specifications, the smaller drones used for this purpose are more vulnerable to these kinds of attacks.

Spirent’s global network of GPS interference detectors has recorded more than 15,000 interference events since it was deployed in 2015, including a surprisingly high number of unintentional events caused by various forms of interference in the GPS L1 frequency band. A significant number of these unintentional events, which often correlate with transmissions from nearby RF transmitters and telecom equipment, have the potential to interfere with GPS signal reception.

Dixon noted one bright spot on the horizon: the increasing awareness up and down the technology food chain of the importance of security in these systems, and the entry of large, experienced, and security-conscious players into the IoT arena.

For information on Spirent’s security solutions, visit https://www.spirent.com/Solutions/Security-Applications.
February 6, 2017
New version of DatuSurvey hints at ground control points
Datumate has released DatuSurvey version 5.1 for both Professional and Enterprise editions of the software. DatuSurvey (formerly DatuGram 3D) turns drone- and camera-based images to accurate, georeferenced 2D maps and 3D models, which saves the need for expensive and risky field work and expedites deliveries, according to Datumate.

DatuSurvey Professional V5.1 now also includes:
- Ground Control Points Hints – Once the model is built with the minimal requirement of 3 GCP’s on two images each, the system will start showing hints for selected GCP on all images it is not marked in. This will make the GCP marking easier and faster.
- Differentiating Clusters in Map View – Different clusters are now shown in different colors in the map view.
DatuSurvey Enterprise V5.1 now also includes:
- Dense Point Cloud Generation Quality – Dense Point Cloud may now be generated at four different density levels as specified by the user.
- Mesh and Texture Support – Dense Point Cloud may now be generated with mesh or with textured mesh. Mesh and texture may be exported to OBJ format.
- True Orthophoto Export Quality – Orthophoto may now be generated at four different resolutions.
- Visualization Viewer Improvement – 3D Viewer is able to handle up to 100 million points. Thus, viewing an excellent quality model with mesh and texture.
- Volume Calculation Improvement – Volume calculation was improved to allow definition of stockpiles right on the dense point cloud, including physical and base surfaces. The definition process is now faster and easier, and the volume calculation of more precise.
- Ground Control Points Hints – Once the model is built with the minimal requirement of three GCP’s on two images each, the system will start showing hints for selected GCP on all images it is not marked in. This will make the GCP marking easier and faster.
- Differentiating Clusters in Map View – Different clusters are now shown in different colors in the map view.
DatuSurvey by DatuMate.
February 6, 2017
New NovAtel firmware for OEM7 offers interference toolkit, RTK Assist
NovAtel has launched its OEM7 7.200 version firmware. Version 7.200 firmware introduces powerful new positioning functionality including the company’s Interference Toolkit (ITK).

The ITK allows users to detect and mitigate intentional interference such as the adversarial jamming of GNSS signals, as well as the unintentional interference from external sources. The new RTK Assist corrections service assures continued high-accuracy positioning when signals from a real-time kinematic (RTK) network are unavailable or disrupted.

With the ITK, NovAtel’s OEM7 customers can auto-detect and report in-band radio frequency (RF) interference so that any interference adversely affecting their receiver’s positioning performance can be quickly nullified.

In combination with the 7.200 firmware launch, NovAtel is introducing NovAtel Connect 2.0, the latest version of its PC-based graphical user interface (GUI). Running on Microsoft Windows 10, NovAtel Connect 2.0 offers significant user enhancements including features to optimize ITK functionality.

Firmware version 7.200 expands NovAtel’s proprietary correction service capabilities with the introduction of two new subscription-based offerings:
- TerraStar-L 40-centimeter correction service. This Precise Point Positioning (PPP) correction service delivers exceptionally robust 40-cm-level positioning performance at an entry-level price point, anywhere on earth without the need for a base station. With corrections derived from the fully redundant TerraStar network infrastructure, the new service is designed for broad accuracy positioning applications such as agriculture, construction or GIS.
- RTK Assist correction bridging service. This globally available service allows users to maintain RTK-level accuracy when RTK corrections are disrupted. RTK Assist uses multiple geostationary satellites to beam corrections directly to the receiver to bridge outages that can occur with local RTK networks.
“Developing products that not only deliver high-precision, high-accuracy positioning, but also assure our customers’ position is central to our mission at NovAtel,” said NovAtel’s director of product management, Neil Gerein. “The release of OEM7 firmware version 7.200 reflects our company’s commitment to continually enhance positioning performance, whether by expanding receiver capabilities, or in mitigating unintentional or intentional interference as reflected with the capabilities of our new Interference Toolkit.”

For more details on all 7.200 firmware capabilities, see this PDF.
February 6, 2017
Boeing, US Air Force extend partnership to sustain GPS IIA, IIF

Boeing and the U.S. Air Force have signed a GPS sustainment agreement to ensure the health of current satellites on orbit. The agreement enables persistent GPS capability for civilians and the military as Boeing works on next-generation GPS satellites.

Artist’s impression of a GPS Block II/IIA satellite in orbit. (Credit: U.S. government)

Under the agreement, Boeing will support GPS IIA and IIF satellites on orbit for the next five years. Boeing, which has been the prime GPS contractor for more than 40 years, is now part of the Air Force effort that may lead to the next generation of GPS satellites.

“This agreement continues Boeing’s strong legacy of GPS innovation and mission support,” said Dan Hart, vice president, Government Satellite Systems. “We are focused on delivering reliable, affordable and resilient GPS capability now and for generations to come.”

Collectively, Boeing GPS satellites have accrued more than 550 years of on-orbit operation. In March 2016, the company delivered its 50th GPS satellite on orbit to the Air Force and has built more than two-thirds of the GPS satellites that have entered service since 1978.

February 6, 2017
ION announces executive committee and council for 2017-19
The Institute of Navigation (ION) has announced its Executive Committee and Council for 2017-19. The ION Executive Committee and Council consists of a wide range of professionals in the field of positioning, navigation and timing.

“ION is excited with the talented and distinguished group of professionals that hail from all segments of the PNT community who are giving their time to serve on the ION Executive Committee and Council,” said Lisa Beaty, executive director of ION.

ION Executive Committee
- President: John Raquet, Air Force Institute of Technology
- Executive Vice President: Jade Morton, Colorado State University
- Treasurer: Frank van Graas, Ohio University
- Eastern Region Vice President: Anthea Coster, MIT Haystack Observator
- Western Region Vice President: Gary McGraw, Rockwell Collins
- Satellite Division Chair: Frank van Diggelen, Google
- Military Division Chair: Elliott Kaplan, The MITRE Corporation
- Immediate Past President: Dorota Grejner-Brzezinska, The Ohio State University
2017–19 Council Members
- Eastern Council Member-at-Large: Francine Vannicola, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
- Eastern Council Member-at Large: Keith McDonald, The MITRE Corporation
- Western Council Member-at-Large: Neil Gerein, NovAtel Inc., Canada
- Western Council Member-at-Large: Paul Benshoof, Locata Corporation
Technical Representatives
- José Ángel Ávila Rodríguez, European Space Agency, The Netherlands
- Sunil Bisnath, York University, Canada
- Mathieu Joerger, The University of Arizona
- Olivier Julien, ENAC, France
- Allison Kealy, The University of Melbourne, Australia
- Di Qiu, Polaris Wireless, Inc.
- Andrey Soloviev, QuNa
- Terry Moore, University of Nottingham, UK
February 6, 2017
System of Systems: FCC seeks comments on Galileo use in US
FCC seeks comments on Galileo use in US

Galileo satellites 15–18 being deployed from their dispenser, two at a time. (Artist’s rendering: ESA)

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is inviting public comments on the European Commission’s request for a waiver of licensing requirements applicable to Galileo receivers in the United States.

Comments are due Feb. 21. Read the notice here.

If the waiver is approved, Galileo-capable receivers won’t need to be licensed in the U.S. At present, FCC rules require that receivers operating with non-U.S.-licensed space stations obtain a license.

In a letter dated Jan. 30, 2015, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration submitted a request by the European Commission (EC) for a waiver of the FCC licensing requirements to permit non-federal receive-only Earth stations — receivers — within the U.S. to operate with Galileo signals.

Interested parties can file comments on or before Feb. 21, and reply to comments on or before March 23. All comments should reference IB Docket No. 17-16. Go to https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/ to file comments.

The Commerce Department has played a major role in supporting the European Commission’s waiver request. As co-chair of the GPS-Galileo Working Group on Trade and Civil Applications, the Office of Space Commerce has been discussing the FCC licensing requirement with the European Commission and assisting it with the waiver request for several years. The waiver, if granted, would allow use of Galileo in official government systems such as Enhanced 911.

Previously, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) assessed federal users’ perspectives on the EC request and did not find any interference issues. The FCC stated that it agrees with the NTIA, but wants confirmation and public input.

Power increase tested on 19 GPS II satellites

On Jan. 25, Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) began a limited-duration test implementing an increase of the Ll C/A power level on the GPS Block IIR-M and llF satellites — a total of 19 satellites.

Launch of GPS IIF-12. (Photo: ULA)

The C/A power was set to remain within IS-GPS-200-H specifications, and the power increase was not expected to increase the noise floor by more than 0.3 signal-to-noise ratio in the worst case.

“We assess that there will be no adverse impacts to civil, commercial or military GPS users, but anyone who experiences issues during this test should address them through established reporting channels,” said Gen. John W. Raymond, U.S. Air Force commander, in a Memorandum for Distribution.

Military users can contact the GPS Operations Center at DSN 560-2541, while civilian users can contact the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center at 703-313-5900.

In the event of unexpected critical impacts, a process to cease testing operations has been put in place.

OCX passes qualification tests

Raytheon completed factory qualification testing of the Launch and Checkout System (LCS) of the GPS Next-Generation Operational Control System, known as GPS OCX.

The company tested 74 OCX segment requirements at its Aurora, Colorado, factory in a cyber-hardened environment, verifying that the LCS is on its way to meeting U.S. Air Force requirements.

Next, the remaining OCX segment requirements will be qualified in a retest period.

Those requiring external interfaces will be qualified onsite at Schreiver Air Force Base before delivery of the overall OCX LCS in 2017.

Clocks fail on 5 Galileo satellites: All have backup

The European Space Agency (ESA) issued a statement on Jan. 19 addressing Galileo clock failures. GPS World Innovation editor Richard Langley provided the following summary of the satellites and clocks involved, based on information received to date.
- 5 satellites affected: 3 IOVs, 2 FOCs
- Total of 10 failures; 1 fixed; so 9 continuing failures
- 5 masers on IOV satellites
- 2 masers on FOC satellites but 1 of these fixed
- 3 rubidiums on FOC satellites
- No satellite currently has fewer than 2 working clocks
An ESA press release provides additional details on the failures and actions being taken to address the problem. Read more here.
February 4, 2017
Wildwood eLoran transmitter starts broadcasting Feb. 6

Update (2/9/17):

The Wildwood transmitter is back on the air after a presumed lightning strike affected transmissions.

The transmitter stopped broadcasting at 5:35 a.m. EST on Feb. 9. Testing took place 5:35 a.m. to 8:19 EST, after which it came back on the air, reports Steve Bartlett, vice president of operations for UrsaNav Inc.

The transmitter will be taken off the air tomorrow morning (Feb. 10) so that engineers can assess and repair any damage.

The Wildwood, New Jersey, eLoran transmitter will be continuously broadcasting from 9 a.m. EST on Feb. 6 through 12 p.m. EST on March 31, announced Steve Bartlett, vice president of operations for UrsaNav Inc.

“Wildwood will be broadcasting as 8970 Master and Secondary most of the time, but occasionally may operate at other rates,” Barlett said.

The Loran Data Channel (LDC) will be undergoing testing and may be unavailable or unreliable for short periods of time Feb. 6-10, he said.

February 2, 2017
Rohde & Schwarz protects Europe air show from drones

Rohde & Schwarz safeguarded Austria’s AirPower 2016 air show against the security risk of commercial drones encroaching on the show’s airspace. This was accomplished using the R&S Ardronis radiomonitoring solution that enables users to identify drone control signals early on, to locate and even stop the drone.

Photo: Rohde & Schwarz

Remote-control drones are constantly invading the privacy of individuals and violating the boundaries of protected areas. These flying objects pose a safety risk at airports where they interfere with air traffic flow and a security risk at major events.

At an air show, both of these are a factor, as any disruption of the closely timed take-offs and landings can represent a danger to event participants and spectators alike. To counteract such a risk, the Austrian Armed Forces relied on the R&S Ardronis radiomonitoring system. Working in cooperation with Rohde & Schwarz, AirPower 2016 was the first event to operate a test setup tailored to these special requirements.

R&S Ardronis enables users to locate the operator of a remote controlled drone and intervene in a timely manner. Remote controls for drones usually operate in the 2.4 GHz or 5.8 GHz ISM band, but also in other frequency bands such as 433 MHz or 4.3 GHz.

AirPower 2016 was held in September 2017 in Zeltweg.

The R&S Ardronis solution monitors the signals in the relevant frequency bands. It maintains an extensive library of drone control signal profiles in order to detect and classify these types of signals. R&S Ardronis reliably and automatically detects the remote control of a commercial drone within a 1 km radius.

The R&S Ardronis system used at AirPower 2016 was additionally equipped with direction finding functionality. The direction information obtained can be used to find the person with the remote control. If the drone transmits a video downlink, this signal will also be located. The information is clearly shown on a map on the display.

Other options are available for R&S Ardronis. For example, it can disrupt specific drone control signals to prevent the drone from performing a maneuver that poses a safety threat. Only the signals for controlling the drones are disrupted. Other signals in the vicinity are not affected. In contrast to broadband interferers that affect the entire frequency band, the ISM band continues to be available for other services such as Bluetooth or WLAN, or to control private drones.

February 1, 2017
EndRun delivers atomic frequency standard performance in compact module
EndRun Technologies, a provider of precision time and frequency solutions, announced at the Precision Time and Time Interval Systems and Applications (PTTI) meeting the release of the RTM3205 precision timing module for portable time and frequency applications.

The PTTI meeting is being held Jan. 30-Feb. 2 in Monterey, California.

The RTM3205 precision timing module by EndRun Technologies. Photo: EndRun

The second-generation RTM3205 is optimized for size, weight, and power (SWaP), but can exceed the stability of a standard cesium atomic frequency reference.

The GPS-synchronized RTM3205 is based on EndRun’s Meridian II precision timebase instrument providing a subset of outputs with the same accuracy, stability and ultra-low phase noise. For ultimate performance, EndRun’s innovative real-time ionospheric corrections are available to directly measure and compensate for the ionospheric delay of received GPS signals in real time.

The network-centric RTM3205 provides a dual-gigabit Ethernet interface supporting a high-bandwidth Stratum 1 Network Time Protocol (NTP) server, optional IEEE 1588 — Precision Time Protocol (PTP) grandmaster, and secure management.

“The versatile RTM3205 precision timing module is a consolidation of EndRun’s state-of-the-art time and frequency technologies in a small, thermal efficient module.” said Michael Korreng, senior R&D engineer, EndRun Technologies. “Customers can now easily integrate this high-performance, time and frequency module into portable and tactical systems.”

Key RTM3205 performance specifications with Real-time Ionospheric Corrections and an Ultra-Stable OCXO are:
- Time accuracy of <10 nanoseconds RMS to UTC (USNO)
- Frequency accuracy better than 4×10^-14 (1 day average)
- Short-term stability <5.1×10^-13at 1 second
- Ultra-low phase noise 10 MHz (<-110 dBc @ 1 Hz offset)
- Dual-gigabit Ethernet with a Stratum 1 NTP server (7500 packets per second)
- IEEE 1588 PTP grandmaster option
- Low power, <10 watts
The RTM3205 is available now.
January 31, 2017
Bye Aerospace, SolAero collaborate on medium-altitude UAV

Bye Aerospace has announced an engineering, development and production collaboration with SolAero Technologies Corp. to put SolAero’s solar cell technology on Bye’s solar-electric unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), StratoAirNet.

The StratoAirNet. Photo: Bye Aerospace

The StratoAirNet family of UAVs is intended to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) to support commercial and government security requirements. The initial medium-altitude StratoAirNet 15 proof-of-concept prototype is nearing completion and undergoing final assembly.

Potential commercial-mission applications for StratoAirNet include communications relay, internet, mapping, search and rescue, firefighting command and control, anti-poaching monitoring, damage assessment, severe weather tracking, agriculture monitoring, mineral source surveying, spill detection and infrastructure quality assessment.

The solar-cell preliminary design review was recently completed with SolAero engineers. Preliminary flight tests were then conducted on a smaller scale test wing. Following measurements and fit checks, whole-wing solar cell tests will commence on the 15-meter wingspan StratoAirNet prototype.

Photo: Bye Aerospace

Since 2001, SolAero products have powered 170 successful space missions with zero on-orbit failures. SolAero holds the world record for efficiency of space solar cells, with more than 50 patents and disclosures with its 33 percent efficient IMM technology. This solar cell technology achieves the highest commercially available performance level, offering a density exceeding 350 watts per square meter under standard conditions, increasing further under high-altitude, low-temperature conditions, the company said.

“SolAero is one of the world’s leading providers of advanced space solar power solutions,” said George Bye, CEO of Bye Aerospace. “The efficiencies of their solar cells will make the benefits of StratoAirNet even more compelling, allowing the airplane to fly at higher altitudes with almost unlimited flight endurance. We appreciate SolAero’s collaboration with our team and look forward to working together to demonstrate a remarkable pseudo-satellite aircraft capability that many have said is unachievable.”

“We are very excited about our partnership with Bye Aerospace and the future opportunities of the solar-powered StratoAirNet family of UAVs,” said Brad Clevenger, CEO of SolAero Technologies. “The combination of our heritage high-efficiency solar cell technology and integration expertise with the wide range of capabilities of the StratoAirNet UAV family will help to usher in a new era of middle and high altitude commercial and defense applications.”

January 31, 2017